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::::::::-::::::-z::::::-:::::::::::. ISSUED BY ::::::::-"::::"::::::":-— s::::^ 

THE PUBLICITY LEAGUE 

of THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 

SAN ANTONIO, TSXAS 



:d -z, '7 ' . 



PUBLICATIONS OF THE 
PUBLICITY LEAGUE 



San Antonio, the Beautiful 

Edition de Luxe 
A Book for the Tourist 



FARM FACTS 

A Book of facts about farming in the 
San Antonio country 

San Antonio — 

the Convention City 



IN PREPARATION 

Commercial San Antonio 

A Book for Investors 



For Further information address 

JOHN B. CARRINGTON 

Secretary Chamber of Commerce 
San Antonio, Texas 



^an 31ntomo== 

tf)e Con\)ention Cit^ 




_^^ffl,' 



tfje Conbention €itp 

'ONIO is a convention city par 
:cellence. This is true be- 
use San Antonio is different 
trom any other city in the 
^nited States. It has 
t an interest, atmos- 
^^^^^Si'i'r!': phere and individuality 
all its own. ^T^'e" leaven of the Latin pop- 
ulation gives a touch of the holiday spirit 
even to the working days. San Antonio 
breathes of fiestas and festivals and its very 
name is suggestive of a good time. 

The picturesque beauty of San Antonio 
is a joy forever. Its historic buildings are a 
never failing source of interest. The venerable 
Alamo, the cradle of Texas liberty that was 
the scene of one of the most heroic episodes in 
the world's history, is in itself a shrine ^lat is 
worth a journey to San Antonio 
to visit. 

Outside the city four an- 
cient missions, partly in ruins, 
recall the glamour and romance 
of the old Spanish days. A 
beautiful macadam road lined 
with big trees leads to them, 




WS^mMMmi^^^MI.^^M^M 




Driveway in 

Brackenridge 

Park 



winding through green fields and along the 
meandering San Antonio river and making the 
trip a rare pleasure. 

The old San Fernando Cathedral with its 
ancient pictures and relics is also eloquent of 
old San Antonio and the days when the Spanish 
grandees touched elbows with the American 
buccaneers in the picturesque plazas. 

Fort Sam Houston, where the Govern- 
ment has spent about three million dollars 
in building the second largest army post in 
America is also worthy of the tourist's visit. 



Here the bugle's shrill clarion, the roll of drums 
and the tramp of armed men reproduce the 
pomp and pageantry of war and the visitor 
can get an accurate conception of that splendid 
fighting machine, the United States army. 

The San Antonio river winds through 
the heart of the city and is spanned by dozens 
of bridges and along most of its course is lined 
with big trees bringing bits of sylvan beauty 
into the heart of the city. In addition parks 
and plazas are scattered throughout the city. 
Of these the most beautiful is Alamo Plaza on 
which faces the famous chapel; Travis Square 
where the Confederate monument towers its 
graceful height; Main Plaza on which the San 




The (Quadrangle — Fort Sam Houston 
5 



Fernando Cathedral and the Gourtliouse face, 
and Military Plaza, in the center of which 
stands the graceful City Hall. 

San Pedro Park is a beautiful woodland 
of about forty acres where the San Pedro Springs 
gush from the rocks. Brackenridge Park con- 
sists of about two hundred acres of native 
woodland. Here big pecan and live-oak 

Confederate Monument 
in Travis Park 




trees overarc 
the banks of tl 



"'waj's and trail 
>>nu Antonio river. 



In addition, S.in Arit(jni<) has about 185 
miles of beautiful loaduays u Iiich wind past 
meadow and farm to the ujiland hills in the 
northwest where the mountains begin. No 
city in America has more beautiful automobile 
roads through a greater variety of scener}'. 




First 
Mission 



Last, but not least, San Antonio; is a city 
with all the city conveniences^ n'lagnificent 
modern hotels which provide every luxury of 
equipment and of the culinary art. It has 
numerous theatres and places of amusement; it 
has churches and schools, and a complete street 
car system whose transfers carry you all over 
the city. Its water supply, drawn from thir- 
teen artesian wells at a depth of 1200 to 1600 
feet is the best and the most wholesome to be 
had in America. The water is sparkling, cold 
and delicous to the taste and coming from such 
a depth is beyond the reach of all germs or 
impurities. 

These things, combined with a climate 
unsurpassed, make San Antonio the convention 
city of America. During eight months of the 

7 



year the climate of San Antonio has a rare 
quality that is unmatched. Even in mid-win- 
ter, days of perfect sunshine make out-door 
life delightful. The four summer months have 
the heat tempered by a continuous gulf breeze 
and with cool delightful nights make life always 
enjoyable. 




*^ ' Second Mission 



The people of San Antonio are hospitable 
and cordial. The stranger within our gate is 
always welcome. Even the casual man on the 
street will go out of his way to direct you 
where you want to go and to show you any 
simple courtesies in his power. San Antonio 
has ample halls for the holding of conventions 
and any convention that contemplates coming 
to San Antonio is invited to correspond with 
the Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce 
who will take pleasure in arranging the detail 
for the officers. 

San Antonio wants you to come and come 
again. You are welcome here and the latch- 
string is always out. 



8 



Mt}t €np^ 



San Antonio stands at the junction of 
the great highways North and South and East 
and West. It is very easy for conventions 
that meet here to wind up in side excursions 
into Old Mexico where the visitor can come in 
contact with the oldest civilization on the 
American Continent and can inspect at first 
hand the remains of the Aztecs, on which is 
builded the modern Latin civilization of Mexico, 
and the visitor can get all the pleasure of 
foreign travel without having to go very far 
away from home. 



|J 




It is only a few hours ride from San Antonio 
to the Gulf. Here the convention delegate 
can rest from his labors and get splendid fishing 
and surf bathing. It is only a few hours ride 
from San Antonio to the Llano River and the 
Nueces River where the finest fresh water 
fishing in America (*aii^ be had, or in season 
quail shooting, duck shooting, deer hunting 
and the like. 




Fourth Mission 



SanAntonio is the half way house to the 
Pacific Slope and the visitor from the North 
and East can return through New Orleans and 
the picturesque Old South, and go North 
through Kansas City and Denver, through the 
heart of the Golden West. So, from the traveler's 
point of view, San Antonio is right in the center 
of things. 

10 



Commercial J^an 2lutonio 



Against the historic background of the 
storied past, modern San Antonio has grown 
up a busy commercial city, developing more 
rapidly than any other city in the Southwest, 
and owing to the fact that her tributary territory 
is but yet partially developed, possesses almost 
unlimited opportunities for future growth. 
San Antonio stands now where Los Angeles 
stood some six or seven years ago, and competent 
and conservative judges predict the same 
phenomenal development for this city in the 
near future, 

San Antonio is a jobbing and wholesale 
center, and does the distributing for a territory 
as large as the state of Ohio. It has also a 
large business with Mexico. New railroads 
projected through this San Antonio territory 
will further develop that country as well as 
this city, and bring new opportunities for 
business and investment. 

San Antonio has 214 manufacturing plants, 
large and small. Its two leading breweries are 
the largest of the kind in the South and employ 
over nine hundred men. It has large foundries 
and machine shops, cotton compresses and oil 
11 



mills, soap and saddle factories, food product 
factories, clothing factories, sash and blind 
factories and other enterprises. The develop- 
ment of an oil field adjacent to the city and the 
opening up of fine deposits of lignite coal by the 
projected railroads will do much to develop a 
manufacturing industry here. 




A Bird's-eye 

San Antonio is the shopping center of the 
Southwest, and has some of the largest retail 
establishments south of Saint Louis. Its mer- 
chants import goods from all over the world, 
and in the quality and quantity of goods dis- 
played, as well as reasonableness of price, offer 
the shopper exceptional advantages. 

In percentage of gain in new buildings 
San Antonio stands third in the list of American 
cities. Three splended new hotels were com- 
pleted in 1909 and three new office buildings 
of from six to ten stories in height are now 
rapidly nearing completion. Store buildings, 
12 



apartment houses and residences have been 
constructed everywhere in the city. San Antonio 
real estate has shown a steady appreciation in 
value and business properties in this city offer 
a most stable and profitable investment, one 
that is certain to increase in value with the 
growtli of the city. 




of San Antonio 

San Antonio has six national banks, three 
state banks one of which does a trust company 
business, two trust companies, and four private 
banks. The aggregate deposits are estimated 
by the bankers at between fifteen and sixteen 
millions. The San Antonio banks issue letters 
of credit and traveller's checks and buy and 
sell foreign exchange. 




[.i 



^au antomo'^ i^otel^ 



San Antonio has the best hotels and more 
extensive hotel accommodations than any city 
in the Southwest. This city has in The Gunter, 
St. Anthony and the Menger three modern and 
up-to-date hotels, which will compare favorably 
with any in the country. In the Hot Wells 
Hotel and bath-house, just outside of the city, 
is a suburban resort with splendjd sulphur 
baths easily accessible by street car lines. In 
hotels like the Hutchins and the Nueces, there 
are smaller family hotels which are elegant and 
delightful. Among the other well known hotels 
of vSan Antonio may be mentioned; The Bexar, 
The Angelus, The New Maverick, The Crockett, 
and The Elite. The city also has a great many 
private boar:ling houses of the highest quality 
and many apartment houses, such as: Terrell 
Flats, Clerc Apartments, Gurden 
Apartments, the Randolph and nu- 
merous others. A complete list of 
hotels, apartment houses and res- 
taurants with their addresses follows 
in the rear of this book together 
with their rates. 

14 




The Menger Hotel 

Thougli the oldest hostlerj' in San Antonio 
and probably in Southwest Texas, the Menger 
Hotel is still one of the most modern, having 
undergone a few months ago a thorough ren- 
ovation. The hotel was founded in the sixties 
by one of the first German pioneers and has 
since then enjoyed a very enviable reputation. 
It is located in the center of the city and faces 
Alamo Plaza, one of San Antonio's beauty spots. 




The Menger 



Its general architectural character, patio, large 
and airy halls and corridors, give it a distinctly 
Southern stamp, and the old timer anxious to 
snjoy all that is modern in the quiet, peaceful 
15 



air of yesterday could hardly find a bettef 
place. Both rooming accommodations and 
cuisine will satisfy the most exacting. 



The St. Anthony Hotel. 

This truly metropolitan establishment 
stands opposite Travis Park in quiet surround- 
ings, one block from San Antonio's busiest 
thoroughfare, Houston Street. The hotel rep- 
resents an investment of nearly $2,000,000 
and has been claimed on good authority to be 
the finest establishment of its kind in the entire 
South. Its spacious lobbies, loggias, dining halls, 
ball room and Roman court are excelled by few 
hotels in the United States in either size or 
beauty. The St. Anthony is equipped with 

The St. Anthony 



u ff =■? ••?■ rr rr -<■ S fr rr * ^ CZ 






every modern feature that goes to add to the 
traveler's and tourist's comfort and the opinion 
of the fastidious is that its service could not be 
improved upon, a fact which is amply demon- 
strated by the circumstance that after less than 
16 



one year of operation it was decided to add to 
the original structure an annex more than 
doubling its rooming capacity. 



ff '^^jj. 



5) 



S51 







The Qunter Hotel. 



This, San Antonio's latest hotel acquisi- 
tion, stands at the corner of Plouston and St. 
Mary's streets and past it floods the city's 
busiest life. Building and appointments are 
of the most modern type and represent a very 
^ happy effort in combining metropolitan hotel 
architecture with the city's climate. Though a 
, great deal of space had to be sacrificed and 
I. large expenses incurred, its builders wanted an 
; establishment suited to climatic conditions and 
J 17 



met very fine success; in fact the Gunter is 
looked upon today as the ideal hotel structure 
for southern latitudes. Its foyers, lobby, dining 
hall, parlors and corridors would be hard to 
surpass in either spaciousness or beauty of 
decoration. The service of the hotel is ex- 
cellent and the establishment has been a success 
from the day it opened its doors — a few months 
ago. 




.^an atntonio f act^ 



Population 110,000. 

The center of the largest undeveloped 
territory in the United States. 

Bank clearmgs amount to 5500,000,000 
annually. ->*., 

Has the best and purest artesian water 
supply in the country. 

18 




The Cr. 



Has a e! ", i l)y none on 

the North .\i,i 

Its mort;iiii\ ' ii 12 to the 

tlioiisand per -intuti 

Has tlic fiiH'Ht hot,'!- Si! (!<■ ontire Soiitli- 
wost. 

Has the finest examples of Spanish Missions 
in the western hemisphere. 

Is the center of education in the South- 
west and for Mexico. 

Is the social center of Texas. 

Stands third in building operations in the 
United States. 

The value of buildings completed in 1909 
exceeds the sum of $4,250,000. 

19 




The Nueces 



Its real estate transfers in 1909 readied the 
total of $14,217,394. 

Post office receipts in 1909 were $243,880.53. 

Assessments in 1909 were $73,714,090. 

Its total tax rate is only $1.42 per centum. 

Its cost only $716,646 to run the city in 
1910. 

Parks and plazas have an area of 349 acres 
and are the most beautiful anywhere. 

Has 75 miles of electric street railroads 
with free transfers to any part of the city. 

Is the hub of all railroad systems in Texas. 

Has a trade territory of 600,000 square 

miles. 

20. 



Is located in a rich agricultural district 
which is rapidly developing. 

Is the trade and tourist gateway to Mexico. 

Has the second largest army post in the 
United States, Fort Sam Houston. 

Its winter compares well with advanced 
spring in the North. 

No heat prostrations during the summer. 

Only one cloudy day in five. 

Has the finest hot sulphur wells in the 
United States. 



Wi^at fou ^l)DuIb ^ee in ^an 

The Alamo^East side Alamo Plaza. 
Federal Building— North side Alamo Plaza. 
San Fernando Cathedral — West side Main Plaza. 
County Court House — South side Main Plaza. 
City Hall— Center Military Plaza. 
Capilla de los Milagros (Wonder Chapel— Take 

West End Car. Located at 115 Ruiz street. 
The Missions— Concepcion de la Acuna, San Jose, 

San Juan and Espada.— Take hacks. 
Fair Grounds, Hot Sulphur Wells, Insane Hospi= 

tal. Ostrich Farm— Take cars on Navarro 

street, corner East Houston street. 

Maverick Park, Brackenridge Park, Convent of 
the Incarnate Word, Country Club, Golf Links, 
Alamo Heights, Davy Crockett's Home, Head 

21 



of the River and Palisades — Take River 
avenue car on East Houston street and Ave. C. 

Fort Sam Houston, West Texas Military In= 
institute — Take Nolan or Army Post car on 
East Houston street. 

U. S. Arsenal — Take South Flores car West on 

Houston street. 
Old Spanish Cemetery — (San Fernando) — Take 

I. & G. N. car West on Houston street. Get 

off at Pinto. 
City Cemetery — Take S. P. Depot car on East 

Houston street. 
St. Louis' College, Peacock's College for Boys, 

Lakeside Classical Institute, San Antonio Col- 
lege for Girls, West End Lake and Park, Protes= 

tant Orphan's Home^ — Take West End car 

West on Houston street. 
San Pedro Park, Electric Park, Base Ball Park, 

Laurel Heights — Take San Pedro car West 

on Houston street. 
Crockett Square — Take Tobin Hill car West on 

Houston street; get off at Cypress street, and 

go one block West. 
Franklin Square— Take I. & G. N. car West, get 

off at San Saba street. 
Travis Park — Two blocks Northwest of Alamo 

Plaza. 
Madison Square — Take Tobin Hill car West on 

Houston street. 



Irrigated Gardens — Take San Fernando car 
West on Houston street. 

Main Plaza, Military Plaza, Wasliington Square, 
Milam Square, Market House and Convention 
Hall, Santa Rosa Hospital, Catholic Orphanage, 
Prospect Heights, Academy of Our Lady of 
the Lake— Take I. & G. N. car West on 
Houston street. 

Chamber of Commerce— 106 Crockett street. 



Alton Hotel, Mrs. Zimmerman, Prop., Southern 
Pacific Station. Rates $1.00. 

Angelus Hotel, Gus Franks, Prop., Alamo & 
Commerce Streets. Rates $1.00 a day and up. 
European. 

Bexar Hotel, Alfred Sanner, Prop., 327 E. 
Houston Street. American, $2. 00 to $3. 00 a 
day, European, $1.00 to $1.50. 

Clerc Apartments, Miss Jane Clerc, 314 Third 
St. Rates $1.00 to $2.50 per day. 

Colonial Hotel, Mrs. T. S. Cosgrove, E. Commerce 
Street. Rates $1.00 and up. 

Crockett Hotel, Miss F. Pegg; Crockett and Nacog- 
doches Sts. European, $1.00 to $2.50 per day. 

Elite Hotel, Wm. H. Salge, Main Plaza, 
European, $1.00 and $1.50 per day. 

Fairmount Hotel, Owen Reilly, Prop., 359 E. 
Commerce St. European, $1.00 a day, Ameri- 
can, $2.00 a day. Special rates by month. 
23 



Grand Central Hotel, Mrs. Hawkins, Prop., 
1410 W. Houston St., Rates $20.00 a month 
and up. American. 

Gunter Hotel, Gunter Hotel Co., East Houston 
St. Rates $1.50 a day and up. European. 

Gurden Apartments, B. F. Gurden, Prop., 902 
Avenue C. Rates $30.00 a month and up. 

Hutchins Hotel, M. B. Hutchins, Prop., 205 
Garden St. Rates $2.50 and up per day; 
$15.00 a week. American. 

Menger Hotel, Wm. Bruce, Mgr., Alamo Plaza. 
American, $3.00 to $5.00 a day; special 
rates by week or month. 

Maverick Hotel, C. B. Ward, Prop., 328 E. 
Houston St. European, $1.00 a day and up; 
American, $2.00 a day and up. 

St. Anthony Hotel, F. M. Swearingen & Son, 
Prop., Travis Park. Rates $2 a day and up. 



iSe^taurant^ 

Four Seasons Restaurant, 314 W. Commerce St 
Mission Cafe, 506 E. Houston St. 
Matthews Delicatessen, Losoya St. 
Riverside Restaurant, 101 E. Houston St. 
Saratoga Restaurant, 228 E, Houston St. 

24 



GUESSAZ & FERLET CO.. S. A. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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